Is the personal profile on your website, social networking sites and in your marketing materials qualifying you for the kind of clients you want? Or, is it disqualifying you?
Before you can sell your staging services, you have to sell yourself. That’s why your bio is your most important personal marketing tool.
Some Keys to a Killer Bio:
1/ “Only” (as in, “I’m the areas’ only home stager who…”) is your Million $$$ Bio Word.
2/ Other Bio Words that ROCK: First, Newest, Oldest (longest-established), Largest, Award-Winning
3/ Your staging skills don’t matter. What matters is how clients benefitfrom them.
4/ Don’t dwell on your “don’t’s.” Don’t fret about the experience, clients, degrees, certifications, and awards that you don’t have.
5/ Highlight, don’t hide your past. Explain how your current clients benefit from the skills you gained from past employment.
If your bio undersells and fails to differentiate you, it is handicapping rather than helping you. You can’t afford that. But you can afford this:
Register by Dec. 31, and I’ll create for you a Killer Bio for half the regular price.
Your new bio will spell out your special-ness and position you as a uniquely-qualified, one-of-a-kind staging professional.
Register for your half price bio by contacting me at Fred@FredBerns.com, or 303-589-3013.
You can’t get good clients with a bad bio.
The promotional profile I can create for you will give you credit where credit is due, establish you as the “star” that you are, and help you take your staging business to the next level and beyond.
Fred Berns, a keynote speaker at RESA’s 2017 home staging convention,is the only staging industry business coach and speaker who creates personal biosand other promotional materials for stagers worldwide.
Since home staging as a career has gained additional exposure over the last several years, there are now more options than ever for home staging training. With so many options available, it can be difficult to choose which one is the “best” one to take. The answer to this question will depend greatly on what your goals and expectations are. There are several factors to consider in selecting the course that is right for you:
–How long do you hope to work in this new career for?
§Will they be there for you through the various stages of your business? What sort of support will they provide?
§If you plan to be in and out of the business in a short time-frame, will they help you with the exit-strategy?
§If you plan to make this your career for the next couple of decades, will they keep you up-to-date and current as trends and techniques change and evolve?
–Are you interested in expanding your services beyond home staging (i.e. home organizing, colour consultations, redesign services, and more)?
oIf yes, you’ll want to review what additional training they will provide you to ensure that you are properly equipped to provide these to your clients. Many courses offer advanced options in the areas of design, through continuing education, and others incorporate it into the home stager training course.
–Do you have any experience running a business?
oIf not, what sort of training will they provide you for managing the business, including registration, day-to-day operations, outlining your services and pricing, marketing, expansion, and more?
oAre they teamed up with resources that will help you to build and grow your business? Any reputable home staging program will have affiliates that they work with to provide you with valuable information, supplies, and discounts.
–How much time will the course take?
oThe answer you’re looking for for this question might not be what you think! The longer that the course takes to complete, the more comprehensive it likely is. Whether it’s an in-class or online training program, you’ll want to identify the time commitment before registering, to ensure that you are ready to make the commitment that it needs.
–What does the course content cover?
oWhat value will you get for your investment into your training? Review the type of information that you will learn, from home staging techniques, to design theory, to creating your systems and processes, and running the day-to-day business.
oWill they offer you templates and cheat sheets for starting your business, or will you be creating these yourself from scratch?
–What direction do you wish to take the business?
oDo you plan to own your own home staging inventory, or rent it? Do they teach you the differences, and help you to decide which is best for you?
oIs there a particular niche that you hope to specialize in? If so, what training do they provide in that area?
oDo you hope to add staffing to your business, or keep it a solo operation? How will they help with whichever direction you choose?
oSome courses will charge you a membership fee in order to keep your designation title, whereas others will charge you a fee to maintain your access to your training material. Be sure to clearly understand these fees upfront before investing, and ensure that you are prepared to pay them over the coming years.
–Who will be your training instructor, and what is their experience with home staging?
oAre they currently operating a home staging business, or have they operated one in the past?
oIf they are not currently operating a home staging business, when was the last time that they worked hands-on with clients?
You’ll notice that price was not mentioned as a factor here, but in truth it should be mentioned. The reason that it was not outlined as a deciding factor is that most reputable training programs will be comparable in price, and therefore this shouldn’t be a deciding factor. If a program is listed significantly lower than the others that you have researched, the chances are that the training provided will be sub-par (you’ve heard the saying that “you get what you pay for”, right?).
At the end of the day, choose the one that best fits your needs and your expectations. If you have questions, don’t be afraid to reach out to them and contact them directly to ask your questions. Heading down any new career path is a big decision, and one that you want to make carefully and purposefully.
Want to learn more about what it means to be a home stager, what you need to know to get started, what startup costs you should expect, and how the certification process works? Check out our upcoming Behind-the-Scenes Home Staging Career Training – register here.
Have questions about becoming a Home Stager, or just starting out and need an extra boost in your business? Join our Facebook group, To Be a Home Stager – our very own Shauna Lynn Simon is live online every Thursday afternoon, answering your most pressing questions!
When I began bartending in my third year of University, I had no idea the long-term impact that this would have. I always knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur, which is why I studied Business as my minor, but little did I know that the best business lessons I would learn would come from my real-world hospitality experience. I often joked that I was getting paid to make drinks and socialize – two of my favourite past-times! I didn’t realize then that I would later attribute much of my success to this fun industry. Bartending helped me to graduate from University debt-free, while still allowing me the time I needed to complete my studies. Following school, it acted as a great “break” from a stressful career as an analyst. And when I was laid off from my last corporate job with mortgage payments and bills to pay, it provided me with a full-time income and the time to re-evaluate my life focus and next steps.
As I began my career as a Home Stager and Designer, bartending provided both the financial and mental relief that I so often needed to get through until my new career became a success.
In the spring of 2013 I officially bartended my last shift at a local restaurant, and the day was met with somewhat mixed feelings about this. Everything I am, and how I have shaped my business to where it is today, can be attributed to the hospitality industry. You can take me out of the bar, but you’ll never take the bartender out of me. Some things that I have learned through my bartending over the years and will continue to apply in my business, as well as in life:
If you don’t have the answers, ask someone. When that fails, fake it and hope no one notices.
No matter how badly you screw up, apologize, take responsibility, fix it, and smile.
When things get crazy, keep moving forward – you’ll get to the end eventually.
It doesn’t feel like work if you’re having fun.
You get what you pay for.
It never hurts to ask.
Snapping your fingers or waving money around does not get you things faster, but sometimes a smile will.
“Shut up and listen” is an effective strategy.
Don’t be afraid to state the obvious – “that sizzling plate is hot”, “the suicide wings are spicey”, “be sure to make the bed before showings”
Everyone has a story, don’t pretend you know what it is.
When all else fails, cheers to another day!
Have questions about becoming a Home Stager, or just starting out and need an extra boost in your business? Join our Facebook group, To Be a Home Stager – our very own Shauna Lynn Simon is live online every Thursday afternoon, answering your most pressing questions!
Don’t you just hate when people offer to do something for you…for nothing? Sure, everyone loves to get FREE stuff, but is anything ever free? Get free groceries, by signing up for a new credit card. Get a free muffin, you just have to buy 3 more muffins to get it.
You’ve heard the saying “you get what you pay for”, so what do you get when you pay nothing?
I know that I don’t like to work for free, and I don’t know many people that do. Yet everyone wants to get a deal, and we often forget what the cost of this is. Allow me to demonstrate a couple of examples:
You ask your friends to help you move – this is going to cost less than hiring movers, right?
Let’s do the math:
– 5 friends’ labour = free
– Case of beer = $40
– Pizza for everyone = $60
– Truck rental and gas = $150
– Broken or damaged furnishings = potentially hundreds of dollars!
– Cost of a no-show that either slept in, had another commitment, or simply decided they didn’t feel like it?
What happens if no one shows up?? What did “free” really end up costing you?
I hire cleaners to come in once a month to help with the house cleaning that I would prefer not to deal with. I hire a property maintenance company to clear my snow in the winter, and care for my lawn and gardens in the warmer months. Does this mean that I have a lot of money to spare? No, but it means that I value my time, and I value the notion of hiring someone to do what they do best, and leave me to do what I do best. My neighbour generously offered to take care of my lawn needs for me, but what happens when I notice that it’s been a couple of weeks, and the grass is growing out of control? Am I allowed to get upset? How do I get him to cut it…like now…when he has offered to care for it for “free”?
When building your business, it’s easy to look for cost-savings and thrifty alternatives, but use caution with these. I had a friend ask if a friend of theirs could photograph my next home staging project for free to build up his portfolio. I explained that I didn’t like getting things for free, and my friend looked at me like I had two heads. “Who doesn’t like to get things for free?” he asked. I explained that I didn’t know this guy, or the quality of his work, and if the pictures didn’t turn out, I would then have to schedule a second shoot with my standard photographer! In the end, I caved and booked this friend’s photographer. I set up the appointment through the listing agent to shoot at the house and blocked off the time in my own calendar accordingly. The evening prior to the shoot, the photographer asked me if we could reschedule, explaining that he had hurt his back, and apparently this would affect his ability to hold a camera. Not only had I already booked this time for the house, but the property had already accepted a conditional offer, and we would be expected to destage the property any day now. Add to that the time of year, which was peak season for us, and my schedule was jam-packed for the next two weeks! I politely thanked him for his time, and called my own photographer. If you want quality work, pay for it. And if you expect to get paid for your quality work, you need to respect other professionals.
Looking at the flip side of this now – NEVER offer your valuable services free of charge, no matter what. Ultimately, this devalues your services, and sets an expectation of future fees. This is a common mistake made by new entrepreneurs, in order to build up a portfolio, and a presence, but there are better ways to do this, and create an expectation of quality and value. Create accountability by setting your fees, and abiding by them.
Bartering – this is a great way to build your portfolio, while still receiving compensation in return. Get to know other small business owners, and see about doing a trade for services. Make sure that the services traded are valuable to both parties (eg don’t trade your time for a dining table that you don’t need, or for dinner at a steakhouse if you’re a vegetarian).
Friends and family discounts – I don’t believe in discounting services generally, but this is a great exception. Time spent providing service to friends and family is time spent away from building your business and bringing in paying clients, so do not ever offer your services for free. By providing a discount, your friends and family feel that their relationship is valued, and it provides them an incentive to give you a chance and “try you out”, which can easily turn into additional referral business for you, as well as help you to build your own portfolio.
Trials – this is a great way to offer a ONE-TIME discount, but be sure to keep it to one-time only, and set your parameters for this. This is not my favourite option, but it could be a way to get your foot in the door with a new client if you operate a business that is likely to have repeat clients (ie in home staging, I would offer this to real estate agents exclusively, and would not offer it to homeowners – agents sell a few houses a month, and homeowners sell a few houses in a lifetime). Make this a limited time offer, and make your future pricing very clear in your offer. Then, be sure to wow them with your service so that they’ll want to keep coming back for more, at the full price.
Remember that you are in business to make money, and your expertise is valuable. Be sure to respect what others have to offer, and be respected in return.
Still have questions about pricing? Learn more about how to properly bill for your expertise, and secure the clients that will pay you your worth, in this pricing webinar.
Have questions about becoming a Home Stager, or just starting out and need an extra boost in your business? Join our Facebook group, To Be a Home Stager – our very own Shauna Lynn Simon is live online every Thursday afternoon, answering your most pressing questions!
Home staging is an exciting and rewarding career choice, but like most things in life, it isn’t always easy! If you’ve ever wondered whether or not home staging is a career for you, it might be helpful to learn some of the top qualities that you will find in the most successful home stagers in the nation.
1. Problem solver
Home stagers are solution people – we operate in challenges, opportunities, and solutions and resolutions. A successful home stager thinks outside of the box.
Out-of-the-box thinking may include repurposing client furnishings in alternate rooms and for alternate uses, cost-effective updates and upgrades, and merging quality styling with everyday function.
2. Enjoys helping people
This is crucial to your success – everyone has a story, and it may not always be a happy one. A home stager’s role is to help in a variety of capacities.
This job requires a great deal of understanding and compassion. Listen to your clients, and cater your services to their needs.
3. Creativity, with a keen eye for style and colours
Too obvious? We had to include this one for good measure.
4. Natural leader
You will be responsible with planning, managing, and executing projects in fast-paced environment. With this, you are a fast thinker and a quick decision maker that operates well under pressure and highly stressful situations.
5. Patience
Perhaps this should have been #1. Selling a home can be a stressful and highly emotional experience. The “people factor” in home staging cannot be taken lightly, and the ability to exercise patience in every aspect is critical to your success.
6. Confidence
This means more than just self-esteem – this is the confidence of telling a client to paint their classic wood trim, or their kitchen cabinets, or to replace their flooring, etc. Confidence in being an expert. Confidence to stand up for yourself, against real estate agents, competition, and the hard-nosed clients. And above all else, confidence that you will get the job done to the expectations of your clients, no matter what.
7. Flexibility
More often than not, something will go wrong. When preparing a home for sale, there are a number of variables and pieces to the puzzle, and they don’t always fall into place the way that you expected. The ability to adjust quickly, and roll with the punches will lead you to success.
8. Great communicator and salesperson
Salesperson? Really? Absolutely! Whether you’re explaining your recommendations and ideas, or promoting your additional services, understanding and learning the best communication techniques and what motivates buyers will ensure a high compliance rate, and a sellable home.
Have questions about becoming a Home Stager, or just starting out and need an extra boost in your business? Join our Facebook group, To Be a Home Stager – our very own Shauna Lynn Simon is live online every Thursday afternoon, answering your most pressing questions!
